6/29/2025 - The Feast of St. Peter and St. Paul (Matthew 16:13-19)

This sermon was delivered by Elder Batson at Lutheran Church of the Resurrection on June 29, 2025. 

St. Peter and St. Paul, Apostles. Jesus is “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” So confessed St. Peter. And Christ promised to build His Church on it by the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 16:16–19). He does this so we don’t try to build the Church ourselves, on this or that person, or by any human means. The same Lord “who worked through Peter … worked also through” Paul and is still at work in His Gospel and Sacraments (Galatians 2:7–8). The Church of every age must be recalled to hear the word of the gospel—the free forgiveness of sins for Christ’s sake apart from the Law—and believe. The Holy Spirit makes no distinction among men, but cleanses hearts by faith alone. So we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus. Both were imprisoned (Acts 12:1–11), both wrote Scripture, both opposed the world—and sometimes each other—all so “that the truth of the gospel might be preserved” for us (Galatians 2:5).